Snow destroyer



March 20, 1956 E. J. LEARY SNOW DESTROYER 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March l5. 1952 ff@ f/ um Sv Mm March 20, 1956 E. J. I EARY sNow DESTROYER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March l5, 1952 BY m March 20, 1956 E, J, LEARY 2,738,786

sNow DESTROYER Filed March l5, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INENTOR MMM/@3 m wm,

D H|||L l- WW w, QN hw, bww mw United States Patent 2,738,786 SNOW DESTROYER Edward J. Leary, San Francisco, Calif. Application March 1s, 1952, serial No. 276,764

14 claims. (ci. 12s- 3435) This invention is concerned with snow removal, and particularly withv a snow destroyer for removing snow from streets and railroads and totally destroying the same.

It is the general practice to remove snow from both streets and railroads by pushing it aside with a blade, or by picking up and blowing the snow to one side by means of a rotary plow. Piled up snow takes a long time to melt, particularly when compacted by a blade, and snow blown to one side by a rotary plow is loose and maybe blown back onto the street or railroad by a strong wind. Efforts heretofore have been made to improve on the foregoing by collecting and melting snow. The resulting snow water is of only about one-tenth the volume of the snow and is readily poured olf into drains, ditches, et cetera. Such snow removal apparatus has not come into general use principally due to inadequate snow melting capacity.

Heat transfer, and hence melting, depends on the effective area heated. I have found that the best possible melting of snow is attained when hot air blasts are directed into a snow mass from dierent directions. air blasts agitate and break up the snow masses physically, thereby exposing greater areas for heat transfer.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to destroy snow by directing blasts of very hot air into a collected mass of snow from opposite sides of the machine.

A more specific object of this invention is to direct a great many hot air blasts of relatively small size into a mass of snow from opposite sides thereof for most effective penetration of the snow mass.

vAfurther object of this invention is to melt collected snow by lspraying boiling water on the snow and also directing hot air blasts into the snow. y

Another object of .this invention is to provide apparatus for melting collected snow by directing hot air blasts into the snow in a melting chamber and reusing the air from the melting chamber for further heating and melting to obtain a high eiciency.

Another object Vof this invention is to provide a snow collecting and melting apparatus havingfa snow water storagetank entirely surrounded by hot air to prevent freezing of the snow water in subfreezing weather.

A further object of this invention is to provide snow collectingand melting apparatus having fire boxes on opposite sides of a melting chamber for great heat.

Another object of this invention is to conduct thevexhaust of snow melting apparatus through the snow being melted for utmost utilization of the heat and to arrest smoke.. v

Another object of this invention is to provide a snow collecting and`r melting apparatus wherein air for melting the snow'is heated in a plurality of tanks to avoid convection effects within the heating enclosure.

IYet another object of this invention is to provide a snow collecting and melting apparatus having a plurality ofvair heating tanks and a blower for each tank to preclude interaction and to preclude total disability in case of failure of one blower.

A further object of this invention is to provide, in snow collecting and melting apparatus, a snow loading ramp adjustable for different typesof roadways and automatically adjustable to compensate for rough pavement.

A still further object of this inventionvis to provide .an Aautomotive snow collecting and destroying apparatus having an operators seat in clear View above the upper end of a snow loading ramp. v

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, wherein similar numbers are utilized to identify similar parts throughout and in which: Y

Fig. l isa side view of a snow destroying machine embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is atop view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially 'along the line3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the ramp taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the ramp taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a'cross sectional view of the snow knocker along the line .6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional View through the melting chamber and heating chambers, and is taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view substantially along the line 8-8 ofFig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view through one of the air heaters as takensubstantially along the line 9-9 in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view showing the snow destroyer as adapted for railway use.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 for a general under-k Y standing of my invention, there maybe seen a snow destroyer in the form of a truck having a frame 22 carryp ing a body 24. ,Driving wheels 26 are carried in convenplate 54 isdetermined byspacer plates 58placed between tional manner atlthe rear of the frame 22 and are driven by vsuitable drive `connections (not shown) from a motor.

indicated diagrammatically at 28. The frame 22 also is provided with a pair of front wheels 30 which are steered through lsuitable' connections from 'an operators seat shortly to bedisclosed. v

A snow loading ramp 32 is secured at the front of the snow destroyer 20 and extends upwardly within the upper front. part of the body`24 to dump snow into a snow melting chamber 34. Heating chambers 36 are located forwardly and rearwardly of the melting chamber 34 and are provided with burners 38. The burners shown are for burningl gas such as butane or propane, althoughit will be understood that substantially any type of heaters may be used`. Fuel for the burners 38 is stored in a tank r40 located on the rear wall of the body 24. Pipes 42 extend from the lfuel tank 40 to the burners 38 for conducting fuel to the burners. s

In order to knock down high snow banks I have provided a'fsnow knocker 44 located at the upper front portion of the body 24. The snow knocker comprises a rotatable' paddle wheel 46 carried at the end of an adjustable boom 48.

The vsnow loading ramp 32, as shown in Figs. 146, includes asheet metal tunnel Vor box open at both ends and along the bottom. The sheet metal tunnel 50 is provided with longitudinal channel-shaped beams or braces 52 suitably secured along the lower longitudinal edges of the tunnel by means such as rivets or welding. A plate 54 which conveniently is made of plywood, but may be made of metal if desired, is provided with longitudinalv angle members 56 suitably secured along its long edges. The angle members 56 rest within the channel members 54 and are slidable therein to allow the plate 54 to beslitl up and down. The normal heightof the ramp 2,738,786 i lPatented Mar. 20, 19,56 n

a wall 60 upstanding from the melting chamber 34 and a ange 62 extending downwardly from the upper end of the plate. The ramp plate 54 will slide upwardly automatically to pass ovenreugh. navemeutwtlisutdetuege. tothe. ramp plete- The plete Sil.fiutlieriisPmteet.eil...

eaeiustdamase by a. steel tip 64st the lower eud- Av naif.. otbruee members'. (Fiss Y3 antlifll extend upwardly tiem the lower' eiulsef tlieauslefmemliers 5.6

euftl. ateprevidedwi'th Pius 66L exteudinalelterelly through. slots 70'iutlie. opposite sides 0i the. tuniielll! Cables or wires 72 are Secured to the outer endsrof the pins 7l) audexteud upwardly over. pulleys earriedby. supports 74 eutl. (Fiss. l` und 3) within the body 'et'. Susy@ destrqyep and bask m a double wnchds (Eig, 1.). within.

the body 24 near the rear thereof. Operationof, onel sec tionot the winch: 78 pulls onthe wire or cable72A to retract the ramp plate 54, for traveling or for removing additional spacer plates SS.

Braemarnbers (Figs. l, 3v and Li.) extend forwardly from the lower end of the ramp. channel members 52 and rotatably, support an idler roller 82. T hisroller-is fixed in position by virtue of its support froml the channel membersand does not shift longitudinallyv with the ramp plate 54. A drive roller 84 is xed at the upper end of theramp by, suitable support means connected to the A belt 9S (Figs. l-S) is passed over the driverollcr 2 84,an d idler roller 82. Pusher members or plates 1,0 are fixed o nthebelt and extend outwardly therefrom into contactlwith the ramp plate 54, for pushing snow up the plate54 and `into the melting chamber 34.

Clearance is provided between the downwardly returnt ing pusherslilt) and the top of the tunnel 50, and warm air," is prevented from escaping through this clearance space by a pla-te 102 pivotally connectedto a roofvsectiovn 10.4; Over the meltingv chamber 34. The plate 1,02 is pulled into a position perpendicular to the reaches ofthe belt 10,() by a spring 1.0.6.

The boom 4S-,ofthe snow knocker 44. comprises a pair 0f parallelv Channel members 108 (Figsl'and 6)v Each channel member 108 is constructed in twosections, so as to be` telescopically adjustable. The ,sectionsl heldegetlier by belts 110 passed thruush.- suitalzleaper; tures inthe` channel sections. The.,channeljrnernbersl, carry bearing members 112 (Fig. 6) at theiroutelr ends suela Cross shaft 114 Carrying. the peddle wheel. 46.is. journalledrin these bearing members. A sprocket 1 16" istixed onan outer end of the cross shaft, 171,4` and a chain 118 is passed over this sprocket andoyer a, spijocketl emilie support 8S sensed with the. spreelset driven. by the chain 9i) in order to rotate `the paddle` wheel 46.`

The rear ends of the channel members 10,8 ofI the.

boom 48 are pivetally carried bythe support 8,8.-

Wires or cables 120 are connected to the boom 48 approximately at the middle thereof and are passedA over the Vpulleys carried by the support 76 to the other half of: thedouble winchp78, Operation oflthis half of the winch` allows thesnow knocker 44 to be raised and loweredgas desired:

to knock down snow banks.

A plate 122 (Figs. l and 3) juts diagonally.. into the upper end -Of the melting Chamber y34 eudzis. breeetlby a brace member 12.4 extending outwardly from thef wall 6i). A cylinder 126. is suitably supporteda-rshortdis.-

tance from the plate 122 and isprovideclV with afplurality.`

of radiallyextending spikes 128 substantially contacting the plate 122. A sprocket 130 is xed on theend of the shaftcariying the cylinder 126 and asprocket' chainy 132 drives this sprocket and hence the cylinder from the gang of sprockets carried by the support 8S'. Rotation of the cylinder 126 causes the spikes 128 to break up snow crusts so that they can be melted more readily.

Each of the heating chambers 36 includes a plurality of cylindrical tanks 134 (Figs. V3 and 8) arranged horizontally and supplied with air through ducts 136 and blowers 138 (Figs. 3 and 9). Each tank 134 is provided with an individual blower 133 whichV preferably includes its own small electric motor (not shown), although the blowers are arranged in horizontal rowsv andV each horizontal row could be powered as a group. The tanks-134 are arranged in horizontal rows, and the tanks of adjacent rows are oset irom one-another for eicient air circulations. A plurality of jets 140, illustrated as ve in number, project from the front end of each tank through the wall ot the melting chamber 34. The jets are threaded into end blocks 142 in the tankslflwhich are clamped against the melting chamber wall by nuts dlthreaded on thc outer ends of the. lets. Theburnlng gases in the heating chambers 36 heat allof the tanks as they pass upwardly through the heating chambers, The lowerVV tanks are heated to a high degree bccauseof the high initial temperature of the burning gases, whileY the upper tanks are heated to substantially the same degree due to the natural tendency of heat to-rise. The upper: tanks are not heated appreciably more than the' lower tanks because of the extraction of heatlfrom the burning gases by the lower tanks.

Due to the small cross sectional area of the jets asop. posed to that oi the tanks, the air moves relatiyelyslowly. through the tanks and is heated to a much higher degree than would be possible if the air were movingA at the same very rapid rate as it leaves the jets. The high velocity,oflv

the airl blasts from the jets aids the very hot air in pene trating to the very heart of the Snowmass falling into the melting chamber. The striking of the snow masshy they oppositely. opposed jets, and the osettingof the jets dueI tothe otsetting of adjacent horiaontal'rows of tankscauses considerable physical agitation of the snow. This j aidsinbreaking up the snow to present large 'surface areas for rapid heat transfer and hence for rapid melting of the` snow.

in a slushy condition in the bottom of the meltingchamber 34., In order` to melt this slush l have providedtire tubes.

146 (Figs. 3, 7 and 8) passing between the,heatingcharn-` bers, 36 near the bottom thereof. Hot. gases', passing thruush these fue tubes quiekly melt euyslusli'iti .the bottom of the heating Ychamber 34,

morder t0 prevent burning er buckling Qitllewalls of the. heating Chambers 36, l have provided e. water iaelset 14 8(`ligs. l, 2 3 and 7) surrounding the heatingchanibers on threesides and on the tops.

Cooled, by s uuw7 s usb, and snow water inthe melting chamber, The heating of the. melting chamber wallsby the heating chambers aids inprneltingy the snowI and pre;

vents the` snow from sticking to the wallsv as.itrnightify l and@ which` iu tutti is supplied thr'eushupipelt from :a pumpV 153 Vhaving a valve 160. Thepipe l1',S6,pl ref. erably is provided with a check vali/e162,

The water near the.. tup` et they/eter iaelsetslflfisheated Substantially to boiling and pipe connections.ltextensi; from the tops of the water jackets into-.themeltingchain.

berand areY provided Withspray-heads. 166; Thetppe connections 164 are not provided with valvessandathere..

Some snow may not bc'completely melted, but regnainsl The fgurthsde, 0i. eeeli.. heating chamber faces the melting chamber 3 4.;'1,11,1, iSf

fore serve as safety releases if the water in the' water I jackets is overheated. The continuous circulation of the water by the pump 158 insures a continuous spray on the snow from the spray heads 166. Y

Further heating of the snow is provided by pipes 168 leading from the tops of the heating chambers 36 to tanks or manifolds 170. Air connections also are made chamber 34 and is provided With a perforated, domes shaped head 178 through which Water passes into the interior of the outlet and from there into a water storage tank 180. The Water storage tank 180 is completely sur` rounded by an air space 182 and conduits 184 are provided leading from the melting chamber near the top thereof to the air space 182 so that used, but still warm, air passes from the melting chamber into the air space 182. The tank 180 thereby is surrounded by hot air and the melted snow water cannot freeze regardless of the outside temperature. The pipes 136 supply air to the blowers 138, leading from the air space 182 and constant recycling of the air thus is insured. By this means all of the heat is utilized and none is exhausted into the atmosphere.

The pump 158 is connected to the tank 180 by a conduit 186 (Fig. l) for supplying water to the tank 154 and water jacket 148 so that much of the heat in the water tank 180 is utilized. The tank 180 further is provided with a drain connection at the rear end thereof and connections (not shown) preferably are made from the pump 158 to spray nozzles (not shown) outside the body 24,'for spraying snow banks adjacent the road to form crusts on the snow banks -and thereby to prevent the snow banks from collapsing or being blown into the cleared roadway.

The snow destroyer is provided with an operators seat 188 (Figs. l and 3) positioned above the topjrear end of the ramp where everything ahead of the ramp readily can be seen through a Windshield 190. A steering wheel' 192 and operating pedals 194 are positioned directly in front of the operators seat and are suitably connected by any conventional means to steer and control the snow destroyer 20. A headlight 196 is secured to the front of the body 24 directly beneath the windshield 190 for night operation.

The snow destroyer is completed by a combination engine-dynamo 198 (Fig. l) within the body 24 for supplying electric power for the blowers, headlight, et cetera, and by an air compressor 200 driven by the motor 96 through the intermediary of a belt or chain 202. The air compressor is useful for force feeding the liquid fuel from the tank 40 when liquid fuel is used, and may be used for other purposes as well. Windows 204 preferably are provided in the side of the body 24 to provide light to the interior of the body and so that persons within the body can see out.

A modication of the invention for use on railroads is shown in Fig. 10. The majority of the parts are identical" with those heretofore shown and described and are identified by similar numerals with the addition of the suix a, further description therefore being unnecessary. The only differences lie in the provision of railroad trucks 206 carrying railroad wheels 208 resting on tracks 210, and in the omission of the mechanism for adjusting the height of the ramp plate 54a which is fixed in position due to the constancy of construction of railroad roadbeds.

It now will be obvious that the snow destroyer shown and described meets the objects of my invention and that snow, as such, is totally destroyed, being reduced to Water, which readily can be discharged down drains or into ditches. The large number of small jets and their opposed disposition leadsto extremely effective melting of the snow collected. f s 'Y vIt is to be understood that the specific examples shown and described are for illustrative purposes only and'that myinvention includes all that which falls fairly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

l'. Snow disposal apparatus including a snow'melting chamber, heating chambers on opposite sides of said melting chamber, means for forcing substantially opposed streams of hot air from said heating chambers into said melting Vchamberfrom opposite sides of said melting chamber to agitate and break up snow therein to effect rapid melting, and means for-'conducting melted snow water from said melting chamber.

2. Snow disposal apparatus including a snow melting chamber, heating chambers on opposite sides of saidV melting chambei-,means for forcing substantially opposed streams of hotair from said heating chambers into said melting chamber `from opposite sides of said melting chamber to agitate and break up snow therein to effect rapid melting, means for exhausting air from said melting chamber to said air forcing means for recycling the air, and means for conducting melted snow water from said melting chamber.

3. Snow disposal apparatus including a snow melting chamber, heating chambers on opposite sides of said melting chamber, means for forcing substantially opposed streams of hot air from said heating chambers into said melting chamber from opposite sides of said melting chamber to agitate and break up snow therein to effect rapid melting, awateri'storage tank, means for conducting meltedl snowwaterfrom said melting chamber into said water storage) tank, and means for exhausting air taining snowpwater in 'a liquid state in said tank.

4. Snow disposal apparatus including a snow melting chamben,heating'chambers on opposite sides of said melting chamber, a plurality' of jets extending from saidy heating chambers into saidmelting chamber from opposite sides thereof, substantiallylall of said jets being parallel, means-.for forcinghotair throughfsaid jets from'v said heatingfchambers:'intoYsaid melting chamber to agitate and break up snow therein to effect rapid melting, and means for removing melted snow water from said melting chamber.

5. Snow disposal apparatus including a snow melting chamber, heating chambers on opposite sides of said melting chamber, a plurality of air heating tanks in each of said chambers, means for forcing substantially opposed streams of hot air from said air heating tanks into said melting chamber from opposite sides of `said melting chamber to agitate and break up snow therein to eiect rapid melting, and means for removing melted snow water from said melting chamber.

6. Snow disposal apparatus including a snow melting chamber, heating chambers on opposite sides of said melting chamber, a plurality of relatively large air heating tanks in each of said heating chambers, a plurality of relatively small jets extending from each of said air heating tanks into said melting chamber, and means for forcing hot air relatively slowly through said tanks for efficient heat transfer and relatively rapidly through said jets into said melting chamber to agitate and break up snow therein to effect rapid melting.

7. Snow disposal apparatus including a snowrmelting chamber, heating chambers onopposite sides of said melting chamber, a plurality of horizontally disposed air heating tanks extending across sach of said heating cham bers, the tanks being arranged in horizontal rows and the tanks of adjacent rows being offset from one another, and means for forcing streams of hot air from said air heating tanks into said melting chamber to melt snow therein.

8. Snowhdispdsal apparatus-:including afsnowfmeltingv chamber, a heating chamber adjacent said snow-melting chamber, a plurality, ofqrelatively large. airheating tanks in said heating chamber, `alplurality. of relatively small jets fromjeach of saidtanks openingY into said heating chamber, means for'forcing streamslofy hot air from said jets into said melting chamber to agitate and break up snow. therein.toelectfrapidmelting, and'means for removing melted snowwater from said` rrieltingi chamber.

9. Snow disposal apparatus including. ai snow. melting.

chamber, heating chambers on opposite sides of said:

melting chamber, means for forcing streams of hot air. from said heating chambers. into said melting chamber from opposite sides. offsad melting chamber. toiagitate and melt snow therein, a water storage tank, means for` conducting meltedsnow. water; fromsaid'melting. chamber. into said'tank, water jacket;meanstaround` saidheating chambers, meansforl circulating water from saidltank into said water jacket means, andimeans for spraying hot water from saidfwater jacket' means onto snow in said melting chamber.

l0. .Snow disposal apparatusincludinga snow melting chamber, a heating chamber adjacentsaid melting cham: ber, a -plurality ofair heating tanks in said heating chamber,.a plurality ot" jets extending fromA eachof said tanks into said melting-chamber, means` forV forcinghot air through said-jets fromwsaidztanks intosaid melting chamber to agitate and melt snow therein, a water-jacket around said Vheating chamber, means rforcirculating melted snow Water from said melting-chamber into said waterjacket, and means for sprayinghot water: from said water jacket onto snow in saidmelting chamber.

ll. Snow disposal:apparatusincluding a snow. melting chamber, heatingchambers on opposite, sides of said meltingchamber, means for forcing ay plurality ofsub-A stantially, opposedstreams` of hot air-from saidLheating chambers into saidimelting: chamber from opposite sides.

of said melting chamber ltoagitateand break up snow therein tok effect rapid-melting, means forheatingalloff the sidewalls ofsaid'melting chamber'to prevent snow. v

from sticking thereto, andmeansfor removing` melted snow waterfrom'said melting chamber.

12; Snow disposal apparatus including-,a snowrnelting; chamber, a heatingchamber adjacentisaid'melting chamheb,-rrreagrisL for burninga fuel in saidvheating chamber, Mannion-forcing; streams of hot air fmmsaid heating chamberrintof; s aid3melting chamber to agitate andv meltsnow therein, means for conducting exhaust gases of the burning` f uel fromA said heating chamber into snow in said meltngchamber to melt said snowand to arrest,

smokeifrom, said: fuel, a Water jacket surroundingk said heating-chamber, means for circulating melted snow Water from saijdzmelting. chamber into said Water jacket, and mea-nsforfspraying hot water from said water jacket onto,i snow` insaid melting chamber.

13'. Snowy disposal apparatus including a snow melting1V chamber, heating chambers on opposite sides of said` melting chamber, a plurality of horizontally disposed air heating=tanksextending across each of said heating cham-.

for forcing streams of hot air from said air heating tanksA into saidtmelting chamber to melt snow therein.

References Cited in the file otthis patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 224,084 Schulze Feb. 26, 18,84 557,163 Springfels Mar. 3l,V 17896 663,718, Beatty Dec. 11, 1909. 950,895 Cuntz Mar. l, 19,10.. 49.3091564 Riordan Ian. 3, 191.1 17,098,950 n McGuire June 2, 191,4. 1,572,414 Wilbert Feb. 9, 192,6 1,so 2;47.6 i Ballard oet. 12, 1926 1,739,331. Y siriana Dec. 10, 1929v 2,178,400 Marino Oct. 31, 193.9V

Leary July 8, 1952- 

